1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a bowden-cable window-lifter drive for automobiles and similar vehicles. More particularly the invention is directed to a bowden-cable window lift wherein the cranking spindle may have any desired length.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a known drive is illustratively disclosed in the German Offenlegungsschrift 33 25 837. In a known manner, such a drive comprises a cable reel inside a housing, with drive pins axially projecting from the end face of the reel. A coupling element integral with a crank bolt enters the and engages the reel between the drive pins. As a rule this crank bolt is an extruded part bearing the cable reel at its end resting in the housing while projecting by its other end through a bottom plate covering the cable reel. This traversing end usually comprises a serration that, following assembly of the window lifter, will receive the actuation crank which is operated by a person.
The window lifter is mounted into the vehicle door by being slipped into the space through the outer skin of the door and the inner wall of the door, whereupon the crank bolt is made to pass by its free end through a hole in the door inner wall. The window lifter together with its driving part and its guide rail is screwed tightly to the door structure in an appropriate manner, preferably to the door inner wall.
To make this assembly possible, the length of the crank bolt must remain below a given value. If the crank bolt is too long, the drive component no longer can be inserted between the outer skin of the door and the inner wall even if slanted, tipped or otherwise twisted. This limit is a functional limit owing to the space available between the inner and outer door skins as well as the size of the gaps provided in the inner door structure.
The limit set on the length of the crank bolt is a substantial drawback because of the ever increasing padding of the door inner wall for increased plushness, safety, and sound deadening, as well as because the new designs of the plug-on crank handles require longer crank bolts. But because a window-lifter drive cannot be installed with such a longer crank bolt, the improvements desired per se to be associated with a longer crank bolt can not be carried out.